The World Trade Organisation Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has announced her intention to seek another four-year term as head of the trade organisation.
She disclosed this in an interview with Reuters on Monday, September 16.
The Nigerian says she hopes to complete “unfinished business” from her first mandate.
Okonjo-Iweala, who served as Nigeria’s finance minister, took office in March 2021, as the first female and African head of the 30-year-old trade body.
Her current term expires on 31 August 2025.
Focus On Delivering
“I would like to be part of this chapter of the WTO story, and I stand ready to compete for the position,” Okonjo-Iweala said, citing a letter she plans to send to the trade body’s main decision-making body.
“For my second term, I intend to focus on delivering,” she added, mentioning that among her priorities are addressing “unfinished business”.
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These priorities include finalising a deal on ending fisheries subsidies, achieving a breakthrough in global agriculture negotiations, reforming the WTO’s struggling dispute system, and decarbonising trade.
Officially, she has until the end of November to decide whether to apply again.
However, the African-led initiative to start early began in July before U.S. President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the election campaign.
It is a move to secure her second term ahead of the U.S. vote in November.
Under WTO consensus rules, this would be possible if no other candidates come forward and all member states support her.
Asked whether both she and the WTO could be successful if Trump were re-elected, she said: “I don’t focus on that because I have no control”.
